Photographic system employing a cassette carrying a processing indicator

Abstract

A film handling cassette and apparatus configured for operation of the same through any one of several processing cycles and subsequent projection of the film retained within the cassette. The cassette includes structure indicative of the processing cycle required for the particular film retained within the cassette, and the apparatus includes a sensor configured to cooperate with the indicative structure and to program the apparatus responsive thereto so as to operate the cassette through a selected processing cycle which conforms to the required cycle. In the illustrated embodiment, the cassette includes a rib-like tactile discontinuity carried on the cassette surface which in conjunction with a complementary indent of the apparatus prevents loading of the cassette except when it is oriented in one special relation to the apparatus, and the rib length or, more particularly, the location of the end of the rib is made to be indicative of the required processing program.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A photographic cassette for use with other apparatus which includes means for operating said cassette through a first and alternately a second fluid treatment program for treating with processing fluid photographic film retained within said cassette, control means responsive to a cassette indicator for controlling such other apparatus to operate said cassette through one of such first and second programs, a slot-like receiving means configured for receiving said cassette in an operative location, and an indent located in one of the perimetric edges of such slot-like receiving means, said cassette comprising: a housing retaining a strip of photographic film of a first or second type, said housing being configured to conform to said slot-like receiving means for slideable insertion therein, said housing including on an exterior surface thereof an elongated rib complementary to such indent and configured for guiding said cassette to an operative location in such other apparatus, said cassette rib varying in length from cassette to cassette, processing means within said housing for treating said film strip with processing fluid to develop said film strip to a viewable condition when said cassette is operated by said other apparatus in accordance with only one of such first or second fluid treatment programs, the length of said rib being indicative of said one fluid treatment program, and said rib being configured for cooperating with such control means to control such other apparatus to operate said cassette through said one program.   
     
     
       2. A photographic apparatus for use with a photographic film cassette, such cassette having a housing configured for retaining a strip of exposed film, processing means for treating such film with processing fluid so as to develop such film to a viewable condition when such cassette is operated in accordance with a given fluid treatment program, and means for indicating such given program, said apparatus comprising:   means for receiving such cassette;   means for operating such cassette through a first predetermined fluid treatment program and alternately through a second predetermined fluid treatment program differing from said first program, at least one of said first and second programs being in conformance with such given fluid treatment program; and   means responsive to such indicating means when such cassette is received in said receiving means for selecting said one of said first or said second programs so as to operate such cassette through such given program.   
     
     
       3. A photographic apparatus for use with a photographic film cassette, such cassette having a housing configured for retaining a strip of exposed film, processing means for treating such film with processing fluid so as to develop such film to a viewable condition when such cassette is operated in accordance with a given fluid treatment program, and means for indicating such given program, such given program including treating progressive incremental sections of such film strip with processing fluid during advancement of such film strip at a given speed, said apparatus comprising:   means for receiving such cassette;   means for operating such cassette through a first predetermined fluid treatment program and alternately through a second predetermined fluid treatment program differing from said first predetermined program, said operating means including drive means configured for advancing such film strip and means for controlling said drive means so as to advance such film at a first predetermined speed during said first fluid treatment program and at a second predetermined speed during said second fluid treatment program, at least one of said predetermined speeds being in conformance with such given speed, and at least one of said first and second fluid treatment programs being in conformance with such given fluid treatment program and including advancing such film strip at such given speed; and   means responsive to such indicating means when such cassette is received in said receiving means for selecting said one of said first or said second predetermined programs so as to operate such cassette through such given program.   
     
     
       4. A photographic apparatus for use with a photographic film cassette, such cassette having a housing configured for retaining a strip of exposed film, processing means for treating such film with processing fluid so as to develop such film to a viewable condition when such cassette is operated in accordance with a given fluid treatment program, and means for indicating such given fluid treatment program, such given fluid treatment program including treating progressive incremental sections of such film strip with processing fluid during advancement of such film strip and further including interruption for a given time interval of such advancement during such fluid treatment program, said apparatus comprising:   means for receiving such cassette;   means for operating such cassette through a first predetermined fluid treatment program and alternately through a second predetermined fluid treatment program differing from said first fluid treatment program, said operating means including drive means for advancing such film during said first and said second fluid treatment programs and means for controlling said drive means so as to provide an interruption for a first time interval during said first fluid treatment program and an interruption for a second time interval during said second fluid treatment program, at least one of said first or said second time intervals being in conformance with such given time interval, at least one of said first and second fluid treatment programs being in conformance with such given program and including said at least one of said first or said second time intervals; and   means responsive to such indicating means when such cassette is received in said receiving means for selecting said one of said first or said second predetermined programs so as to operate such cassette through such given program.   
     
     
       5. Photographic apparatus for use with a cassette including a housing, a strip of photographic material, means for alternately cooperating with said apparatus for performing a plurality of operational programs comprising a predetermined fluid treatment program for treating of such strip of photographic material with processing fluid so as to provide viewable images on such strip and one of other operational program for projecting the images recorded on such strip of photographic material, and means for indicating to said apparatus said predetermined program and whether said predetermined program has been performed, such indicating means including a circuit having a first predetermined electrical condition indicative of said predetermined program and selectively operative means for altering such first condition to a second condition indicative that said predetermined program has been performed, said apparatus including a housing configured to operably receive such cassette, selectively operable means for operating such cassette through any of a plurality of fluid treatment programs including one fluid treatment program conforming to said predetermined program and for thereafter operating such cassette through said one other operational program for projecting images recorded on such strip, and control means adapted to be disposed in operative relation with such indicating means when such cassette is received in said apparatus for controlling said selectively operable means so as to perform only said one of said plurality of fluid treatment programs when such indicating means provides such first condition and to perform said one other operational program when such indicating means provides such second condition. 
     
     
       6. A photographic system comprising: a photographic film cassette comprising: a housing configured for retaining a strip of exposed film;   means for alternately cooperating with a projector apparatus for performing a plurality of operational programs comprising a predetermined fluid treatment program for treating such strip of photographic material with processing fluid to provide viewable images on such film strip and at least one other operational program for projecting images recorded on such strip;   means for indicating said predetermined program and whether said predetermined program has been performed, said indicating means including a pair of contacts configured to provide an open circuit when said predetermined program has been performed and to provide a closed circuit having a given electrical condition indicative of said predetermined program when said predetermined program has not been performed; and     projector apparatus comprising: means for operably receiving said cassette;   selectively operable means for performing any of a plurality of fluid treatment programs, including one fluid treatment program conforming to said predetermined program, and for thereafter performing said at least one other operational program; and   control means adapted to be disposed in operative relation with said indicating means when said cassette is received in said apparatus for controlling said selectively operable means so as to perform only said one fluid treatment program of said plurality of said fluid treatment programs when said indicating means provides said given electrical condition and to perform said at least one other operational program when said indicating means provides an open circuit.     
     
     
       7. A photographic system comprising: a cassette comprising: a cassette housing configured for retaining a strip of exposed photographic film;   processing means within said cassette housing for treating such film with processing fluid so as to develop such film to a viewable condition when said cassette is operated in accordance with a given fluid treatment program;   means for indicating said given fluid treatment program; and     apparatus comprising: means for receiving said cassette;   means for operating said cassette through a first predetermined fluid treatment program conforming to said given program and alternately through at least a second predetermined fluid treatment program differing from said first program; and   means responsive to said indicating means when said cassette is positioned in said receiving means for selecting said first program so as to operate said cassette through said given fluid treatment program.     
     
     
       8. The system of claim 7 wherein said processing means of said cassette includes means for treating progressive incremental sections of such film strip with such processing fluid during advancement of such film strip at a given speed, said means for operating said cassette through said programs includes drive means configured for cooperating with said cassette for advancing such film strip and means for controlling said drive means so as to advance such film at said given speed during said first program and at a second predetermined speed during said second program. 
     
     
       9. The system of claim 7 wherein said processing means includes means for treating progressive incremental sections of such film strip with said processing fluid during advancement of such film strip, said given fluid treatment program including interruption of such film advancement for a given time interval, and said means for operating said cassette through said programs includes drive means for configured for cooperating with said cassette for advancing such film strip during said first or said second fluid treatment program and means for controlling said drive means so as to provide a first interruption conforming to said given time interval during said first fluid treatment program and a second interruption for a time interval differing from said given time interval during said second program.